


out of tune, fully in love

by akutagi



Series: The Haikyuu Storybook Collection [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Axeman! Iwaizumi, Fairy Tale Elements, Fairy Tale Retellings, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Fluffy Ending, Forests, Heart-to-Heart, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Hurt/Comfort, Iwaizumi Hajime Is So Done, M/M, Pied Piper! Oikawa, Red Riding Hood Elements, Sunsets, Vulnerability
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:47:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25264084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akutagi/pseuds/akutagi
Summary: “A-Let me play something else for you! I swear I’m a master.”Finally breaking the hold, he stomped onto the gravel path and turned one last time. “What youareis a massive pain. Now leave before you’re the next thing split in two!”Oikawa knew how to pick his battles. And he knew that today he wasn’t winning the point. However, the war was then initiated in his mind, whether the other wanted to play a part or not didn’t matter. What did matter was that with or without the pipe, he was going to make the lumberjack admit defeat.-Oikawa's magic pipe has been passed down throughout the lineage and with it he's able to make people more likely to give him things like food and jewels. However, it seemingly doesn't work with one stubborn axeman named Iwaizumi. One way or another, Oikawa's determined to get to the bottom of it and most of all: win.
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime & Oikawa Tooru, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru
Series: The Haikyuu Storybook Collection [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1830334
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36





	out of tune, fully in love

**Author's Note:**

> hello and as you can probably tell by the series name that . im starting a new series !! to put it simply, its an overarching kagehina au with the other hq characters somehow being involved and pulled into their tail. right now were starting with hinata getting his journey started so :')
> 
> song sang is bloom by the paper kites (its not needed to listen to it but id give it a try at some point) 
> 
> enjoy <3

Oikawa was used to getting whatever he wanted, and no it wasn’t due to his dashing looks or suave movements, though he did like to attribute his success to those as well. The bottom line was that the Tōru got what he wanted because he has his trusted instrument.

It had been passed down throughout his family line and only people  _ in  _ that bloodline were able to use it. Well, that was an exaggeration. Anyone could use it, technically, but it wouldn’t reach its fullest potential. It would just sound like a regular melody, dull and bland compared to the noise of the world.

Whenever Oikawa used it, the world would be encapsulated, frozen, and listening intently. See, when  _ he  _ played a tune, anyone listening would be swooned and filled with a rush of joy and hospitality, often wanting to give the musician valuable possessions as gratitude. 

Often he’ll hide behind trees or large forestation and play a quick song as passersby walk through the forest’s neverending path. Then as his desired listeners were still affected by the rhythm, he’d use his glowing appearance and personality to get his dinner for that day, or any other thing they’ll offer up. And as soon as the song came, both parties will soon leave and never think back on the incident in question. 

This technique had worked (and continued to work) except for two rare occasions. 

One being a figure draped in red passing by, not even a wrinkle of concern for anything that could be lurking inside the congested forest. However, a charred bird swooped free from seemingly nowhere and swirled around the veiled figure. The brunette saw an opportunity and began to play his instrument, however, things seemed… peculiar.

As soon as the wooden piece touched the edge of his lips, the hooded person raised the palms of his hand to his ears, body turning like he was in search of something. 

And he found something or some _ one  _ behind a blackberry bush. That being Oikawa, stunned that someone was willing to come towards him with such speed and necessity, unlike everyone else who stayed rooted in place. He shook his pipe, figuring something like an acorn might have gotten lodged inside. 

With a confused look, Oikawa peered up at the figure, much more defined and still with the hands by his face. His locks were as bright and hued as the setting sun, plus his smile made  _ him  _ want to be the patron of the day rather than the reverse. 

Clearing his throat, he was about to introduce (and swindle) but quickly got that chance revoked. Screaming like a morning rooster, the smaller boy got the upper hand. “ _ Hello! I hope you’re not gonna use that thing of yours because my arms are getting tired!!”  _

Flinching from the sound, he then leaned over the bush and grabbed the younger one’s wrist to pull them away, making the crimson cape slightly fall off his head. “You… don't have to scream. I can hear you fine.” He attempted his basic winning smile, but before long he lost it as he thought more about what he had said. “Do you know me?!” 

If there was one more thing Oikawa liked besides his riches, was the chance to make a name for himself, since who doesn't want to be remembered?! 

Shaking his head, he put the whole top of the fabric underneath his head of hair. “No, my friend bird warned me and told me to cover my ears.” And as if the mere mention was enough, the bird was conjured up once more. Or at least swooped down from somewhere beyond his peripheral. It was darker than the night sky, in ironic contrast to the other.  _ Crow? Raven?  _ the musician pondered.

“Your bird…” he pointed with question evidently in his body and voice. “...told you I’d be here?” 

“Well, yeah. You just can’t hear him. I mean even I don’t! He just sort of feeds me ideas, like that there was a piper here with a wicked talent nearby.” Oikawa was stunned for words, so the other kept talking. “Anyways I don’t have time for this since I need to visit my friend  _ but  _ I was warned only to not interact with wolves. And you seem like a pretty decent guy, soooooo…” As his words trailed and fell off his lips, he reached for behind his ruby cloak where a backpack was hidden. After a moment, his once scrunched face went back to normal, er happy. “I’ve got plenty of bread, so you can have this. Safe travels!” 

Just like that, he was marching further into the forest and towards a part that would lead to an exit for a whole word that wasn’t guarded by wood. Oikawa was still waving goodbye by the time he realized the nameless ginger was long gone.

That had been the weirdest occurrence he’d ever had, but that would soon change. The intuitive traveler had blocked the magic that came from within, but no one had ever been downright  _ immune  _ before.

Introducing Iwaizumi (though he wouldn’t know that until later), otherwise known as Oikawa’s most exciting and exhausting person he’d even come into contact with, and probably ever would.

The player had noticed smoke from the top of a branch coming from not too far away, so as any rational person would do, he climbed down and towards it. He had expected a wandering party, holding down for the night at a makeshift tent and fire. 

Instead, he saw a well-built cottage made of darken wood, a gravel pathway leading all the way up. The gray clouds were sprouting out of a chimney and exiting the house was what appeared at face value to be a lumberjack, or seller of some type of wood.

How did Oikawa come to this conclusion? Most likely due to the axe slung over his teal patched shirt, walking towards the side of the house, and to a cutting stump. 

Usually, this was the perfect timing that Oikawa would take in order to use his suave powers to get the other’s attention, but instead he stood from afar and observed.

There was nothing extraordinary about the lumberjack, but maybe that was what brought the brunette’s attention. Each swing was precise and swift as each bar of wood got shattered into equal pieces. Eventually, he’d gotten bored with just watching the bark splinter off, so his eyes traveled up and towards the man himself.

He was built, but nothing too outrageous, just enough to show how fit he was. His hair and skin were traced with sparkles, mainly for the sweat that the outdoors often gave, but another for the falling sun’s rays. His face was concentrated, but still managed to look soft. Oikawa felt like the man was a personified song from his pipe, leaving himself paralyzed with amazement.

Which reminded Oikawa of why he was here in the first place: to get some goods from the loner axeman. Reaching into his pockets, he grabbed out the instrument and walked closer to the other, hiding behind anything and everything. Once he was in a closer range, he began to play a happy little tune that wasn’t complex in the slightest.

However, when he played it, the axeman did stop, just… not in the way few did. Most stood like frozen statues at the center of a town, but instead, he stopped as if he was about to begin a race throughout said town. Clenched fist and bending brows made him almost drop the pipe entirely.

_ Okay, new tactic,  _ he had thought. Switching to a more relaxed rather than upbeat song, he’d hope this would do the trick. Maybe it was the now occurring messed up transitioning note, or that the sound escaping rose and fell at random, but this seemed to anger the axeman more than previously.

Eventually, the target had found his  _ own  _ target, that being Oikawa himself. Trying to fiddle out of the bush by the house’s fence, he was captured by the hem that was now surrounded by the other’s clutch hand.

With a low and strict voice, he asked a simple question. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

What the hell was he doing indeed. He’d never been caught so off guard like this, not expecting the hostility. Searching for words, he managed to respond with “just playing my music!” Which was true, just without the justification.

Seeing him as no threat, he dropped the other into the bush that  _ apparently  _ now possessed thorns deep inside. Steadying himself and picking out the object peeking into his long olive sleeves, the other responded with as much agitation as before. 

“Could you not do it here? It’s giving me a migraine.” He stood there, body leaning with his arm that was resting at the end of the axe. 

‘Migraine’ was a new word. People usually felt a little bit  _ disoriented, sure _ , but never getting an intense headache. That was never heard of. He pried.

“Are you sure? I mean people from worldwide have told me my music is enchanting-“ 

“Well, I’m from this small place in a grand forest, and  _ I  _ say that your music, sucks.” He turned to go back to his duties, but Oikawa was too confused to let him slip that easily. 

Tugging on the edge of his sleeve, he tried to not seem as offended as he was. “‘Sucks’ is a strong word, you know.” 

Deadpan, he turned and locked eyes. “Yeah. That’s precisely why I used it. Now, if you  _ excuse me-“  _ He tried to pull away, but Oikawa was terribly stubborn, so he held on to the point where a tear was starting to pop into fruition. 

“A-Let me play something else for you! I swear I’m a master.”

Finally breaking the hold, he stomped onto the gravel path and turned one last time. “What you  _ are  _ is a massive pain. Now leave before you’re the next thing split in two!” 

Oikawa knew how to pick his battles. And he knew that today he wasn’t winning the point. However, the war was then initiated in his mind, whether the other wanted to play a part or not didn’t matter. What did matter was that with or without the pipe, he was going to make the lumberjack admit defeat.

###

After trying to play one more time with less success and more anger than before, Oikawa finally scrapped that idea off of the list of tactics.

Next was to offer him a gift, hoping that it would be the foundation for the other to get gifts in return. And sure, the gift was ‘stolen’, or as Oikawa would say ‘generosity donated with persuasion’, but regifting presents wasn’t entirely bad.

So the tempter was waiting at the door and peering over towards the veiled window, trying to see if the shades showed a silhouette of the man in question. Tapping his knuckles against the hardwood, he waited in anticipation. 

_ This will be a win _ was all he thought before said door swung to reveal the axeman. Rolling his eyes, he tried to shut the door, but Oikawa anticipated as much and jutted his arm between. “Wait, I come with a gift!”

“I’m not interested in another crappy song.” 

“It’s something I think you’ll enjoy actually. No playing involved.” This had gotten the other to open the door, and Oikawa patted himself for being the underrated actor he managed to be, acting as harmless as a deer.

Pulling it from his satchel was the ends of a cutten baguette, tough enough that it didn’t crumble at the mere touch. Handing it to the other, he also gave over a seemingly convincing simile. “This is for you!”

“Um, thank you?” He replied, inspecting the gift in his palm.

“So, do you have anything for me?” He asked, everything from posture to voice being laced in innocence. He even swayed on the balls of his feet for good measure. 

Hand on hip, he responded with slight maliciousness. “Why would I have something for you?”

“Usually, gift-giving is that I give  _ you  _ something and you give  _ me  _ something.” This was true, or to just Oikawa it was.

“In that case,” he started before shoving the bread’s end back into Oikawa’s position. “I don’t want any part in this.” 

Trying to shut the entrance for the second time, Oikawa barely got in between before it shut. The other’s face was becoming red with bother, offsetting the dusty yellow checkered shirt he currently had on. “Why are you so uptight!?” He was patient, or so he thought, but the piper wanted to  _ win  _ and he wanted to  _ now. _

“Gods, you’re like a weed that won’t stop growing back! Do I have to curse you away?!” He too was at his wit’s end.

“Why don’t you try it, scrap the bottom barrel will you!” Another thing this person made Oikawa realize was that he  _ really  _ liked arguing with others.

“I, Hajime Iwaizumi, curse whoever you are away from me and my property forever. Good riddance!” He gave a quick shove towards the man’s middle, making him stutter backwards and the door a concluding shut. 

He stood for a moment, processing his air-tight plan might have had some unforeseen bubbles. But as he made his way back into the welcoming green, he realized he had gained something.

A name. A lot could be done with a name. 

He tested it out on his tongue, briefly passing it by his lips. “ _ Hajime Iwaizumi. _ ”

Well, Hajime Iwaizumi, let’s see if your curse actually worked or if you only cursed yourself by making Tōru Oikawa more motivated.

###

If giving his own gifts head-on wasn’t the best strategy, then Oikawa thought that a more out-of-the-box option was the right lane to travel down.

Swiftly moving along the trimmed grass, he made sure not to step on anything that would make too much noise to signal Iwaizumi, as this new plan was supposed to remain secretive. After a successful walk across, he made his way over the wooden fence and toward the materials.

Left on the ground near the battered stump was the same used axe from before, so Oikawa grabbed it and started to get everything into motion. He didn’t realize how heavy the miniature thing was, however, the sudden weight making his own unsteady. After a few brief moments, he regained his balance and sought after the target. 

A few steps away was the stacks of logs that needed to be splinted into sections, so Oikawa would do just that: cut some of Iwaizumi’s work and wood in half, then the axeman would reward him with treasures or the hospitality others once had, then Tōru could move on from this place and onto the next target. 

Placing the log onto the cutting stump, it took a little finesse to get it to stand on its own. Once it did, Oikawa realized his hands were far too slippery and throat too clogged up, acknowledging that he was highly unqualified to do this. But again, he was stubborn and wouldn’t let this plan go without an  _ attempt.  _

Mimicking what he saw from his first encounter, he swung and… with a  _ tunk _ , missed. The log shuttered and spun, but the force was placed onto the tree stump, giving it another dash that soon disappeared in the sea of others much like it. 

_ Second time will be the winner _ , he motivated himself. Chest expanding from an intake of excessive air, he swung yet again and this time it worked! Partially. The blade was stuck wedged in between and bark folded over like the pages in a novel. It took some effort to get it out, but eventually, it managed to budge. 

What also budged was the door from the front of the house, spitting out a man with a less than cheerful figure. Marching over, Oikawa tried his best to strike a relaxed pose even though now he was feeling the pressure. 

“I thought I told you to not come back here.” He spurted out, arms folded over. 

“You  _ cursed  _ me to never come back, and I just wanted to see how good of a wizard you were. Turns out not very much.” His grin was slowly fading into a smirk as he placed his weight onto the axe’s handle, leaning forward. See, he knew he was supposed to ‘kill him with kindness’, but egging the other one was too much of a joy for him. 

“I’m not like  _ you _ , I don’t use ‘magic tools or spells’. I use an axe in a grounded reality… Why do you have my axe?” He pointed to the object in question, face contorting to concern. 

The musician started up his prepared dialogue, albeit without the cut logs like he’d planned on producing. “Well, I just thought you were in need of some help and was going to surprise you with freshly chopped logs at your doorstep… so... Surprise.” He gave a little chuckle at the end, though if it was due to nerves or some attempt at comedy, neither knew. 

“I didn’t ask nor need your help, so would you please give me it back and leave me alone for good.” He came over quickly, not even a peep from the grass or twigs underneath him. Iwaizumi reached for the instrument’s end, but Oikawa grabbed it closer to himself, not letting up. 

“No! Let me do this for you!”

“I already told you I’m perfect _ ly fine!” _

Then after some tugs and steps, one lost the fight and grasp on the ground, as the end accidentally swung into the piper’s stomach. Before the world’s view escaped his eyes, he saw a panicking figure in deep blue appearing above him. Oikawa thought he looked like an angel, fluttering all around him. Oikawa’s head hurt an awful lot. 

###

Waking up somewhere that wasn’t a plane of grass was a shock for Tōru to say the least. Looking around, he wasn’t even in a free forest, but instead a condensed room with light brown walls, sunset escaping inside the open window. 

When he tried to stand, he fell back down onto the navy couch cushions, consuming him like the sea’s waves. He felt like he was on a grand ship, swaying him back and forth, vision focusing then readjusting. 

The other must have heard the commotion since he walked over and crouched down with a drink in hand. His eyes weren’t as harsh, words coming out lighter than ever. “You feeling okay?”

“Um,” he started, not knowing if he should be honest or give a default answer. “Sorta? My head sort of hurts.”

“That’s because while you were putting up a fight with  _ my  _ tool, you stumbled and hit your head hard on the ground. Lucky you missed the tree trunk and don’t seem to have any cuts of any kind.” He then handed him what appeared to be water, proceeding to stand up, looming over the other once more. “Though I’m not going to leave you unwatched since Gods know that you could easily make it worse by being a natural idiot.”

Taking a sip, he took in more of the surroundings. Believe it or not, but Oikawa never had a true place to call home. His family’s home was the woods and shadows, and so that’s what he was used to. Moving from place to place and without getting detained by someone who wanted to use his practice for more wicked intentions. 

If he had to place where he was, he’d call it a ‘living room’ and did it live up to its title. Books were scattered into disarrayed piles, some on the floor, some on shelving, and others on the lower table. There was a mat that reminded Oikawa of storm clouds, it being fluffed and tinted dark gray. No pictures to be seen, but ahead of him was the beginning of a kitchen, dull brown switched with a brighter yellow. 

“You’re quite the slob aren’t you.” He didn’t make it seem like a question, more like an observation, because that was what it was. Not him wanting to continue the banter from before, no not that.

“I bring a known wanted criminal into my home and  _ this  _ is what I get in return? Ugly remarks.” Again, his words lacked the power from outside.

The first part of the response caught his attention however, making him panicked, as it then dawned on him that he couldn’t find his pipe on his person. “Y-You know about me?”

“Don’t get your tunic in a twist. I figured from the poster in town, one with your general description. I don’t care for reward money though, not like it’s much.” He turned to leave, figuring he’d get the last word again, but Oikawa wouldn’t hand it that quickly. 

Hand wrapped around the wrist, he huffed out his temper. “It’s difficult to put a tag on priceless I’ll have you. What did they say about me? That I’m a mystical looking being, rivaling Prince Bo-” 

“Let go and I’ll tell you.” Oikawa’s fingers drifted for a moment. “If you care, they said you have brown locks and eyes, draped in green, all wrapped in a package of….” He struggled for the last portion, looking away. “...’true beauty’, whatever that means.” 

Oikawa couldn’t help but beam at that part, happy from the validation from the nearby village people that his complexion was still on par. “I’m glad to hear that!” 

“Anyways, you still smell atrocious. I have no idea what the last time you bathed was, but it shows that it has been far too long.” His smile falters, if only for a moment. “You can take a bath upstairs, I’ll grab some spare clothes for you to use, and I can start preparing for dinner.” Turning back around, he reached his hand out. “You need help standing?”

Oikawa took the hand, giving the action as an answer. He felt like by now he could balance on his own, but Iwazumi’s hands were there, soft and inviting. They felt like an opening to a new path that Oikawa was excited to travel down.

\---

The water pressure wasn’t bad and it was a preferred alternative to using a waterfall’s never- ending cycle. Eventually, Oikawa drifted into using his secret talent, or lack thereof depending from ear to ear.

He was born skilled with a piper’s technique, but he also felt qualified with another instrument that he was more reclusive about- his voice. 

More often than not, he stuck to what he knew and was trained to know. He  _ knew _ he was conditionally attractive,  _ knew _ he could be sneaky (though, lately that was lacking), and  _ knew _ he was blessed with a pipe. What he didn’t know frightened him. 

He didn’t know what people would think of his voice, since it was ordinary and raw, no trace of magic to make people like it like his instrument. It was Oikawa to an extent that he himself was yet to fully understand. So, he only used it once he concluded it was safe. 

After he heard the sound of stair’s creaking come and go did he start to sing. First with a soft hum, then entering the song’s beginning, on he heard a passerby sing when he was a child that had stuck: 

_ In the morning when I wake _

_ And the sun is coming through, _

_ Oh, you fill my lungs with sweetness, _

_ And you fill my head with you _

He ‘d forgotten the part intersecting the beginning from the chorus, so he resorted to humming once more. Then after some time, he continued to the chorusing repeating line. 

_ Can I be close to you? _

After some time, between the line repeating was humming, which made Oikawa’s mouth shape into a perfect circle like the fullest moon.

Once the song finished, he felt happy as he usually did after stringing the words together from songs. The atmosphere around him was cloudy from the mildly intense heat, but it was nice nonetheless. He took another moment to ravel in it before turning off the water and getting ready to step out of his own box yet again. 

###

To no surprise, the clothes were much bigger than what Oikawa’s usual form was used to. His fitted green ensemble was switched for a purple that looked like it sucked the outside’s lavender of. Under the blanket-shirt hybrid were cream pants that were thankfully partnered with a belt. 

Making his way down the stairs he turned and marched towards the door frame that marked the kitchen. Inside was Hajime, grabbing two ceramic bowls from above the stove’s top. He must not have realized the added party since he then fiddled with them before setting them onto the kitchen’s counter. “Oh, you’re out.”

“Yes! Now, would you care to tell me what smells amazing!” He was prepared to get a compliment from the other, saying how he now smelled ‘divine’ to put it lightly. 

  
Instead, the lumber cutter said this. “I made a quick stew that should be done about now.” Then quickly went over and shut the stove off, not realizing Oikawa’s upset expression. Or maybe he did and just didn’t care. 

“Well, Iwa-chan,-” 

“Don’t call me that.”

“Where are we suppose to eat?” He motioned to the empty flooring, usually where a dining set would be.

Pouring the concoction into the bowls, he answered with two syllables. “Outside.”

“You eat outside?”   
  
“Don’t you usually?” He replied in a mocking manner.  _ Touche. _

“What do you do when it’s storming?”

“In that case, I eat on the couch. But I enjoy watching the sunset, I don’t know about you.” He gripped both bowls and handed one towards the other. “You can eat wherever you want, but I know where I’ll be.” And as soon as the conversation had begun, it had ceased with the final punctuation being the door closing from behind. 

Oikawa took a moment to catch up, fleeing out the door soon after, careful not to let anything slip out of the bowl. And as expected, the man was plopped down, legs crossed over and inside the dinner he had made. One hand using the spoon and other behind him for support.    
  
He sat down right beside him and together they both ate in silence, talking in the soon resting outside world. The forest’s hues going darker, setting sun brighter. Insects of all kind floating around, not knowing where they were heading. Little creatures in the night scurrying up the trees. It was nice, knowing Iwaizumi was probably thinking the same. 

Scrapping at the bottom of the bowl, he turned towards the other, looking over the brunette’s shoulder. “You know, maybe you should try trading in that lousy pipe for a singing career.” 

“Hey! That’s my occupation you’re-...wait, you heard me singing?” He turned towards the other, voice slightly becoming more alarmed. This was vulnerable territory, and he didn’t like being the one with a losing hand. 

“The house’s layout makes it pretty simple for noise to seep down into the kitchen.” Hajime turned his face so now he was fully looking at the other, no trace of malicious intent. “Why do you seem upset? You finally have something you’re good at.” 

Oikawa took the airy attitude as his way of trying to make him feel better, which didn’t work too much. The piper placed his remaining supper down and tried to sink into himself by bunching his legs to his torso. “I-First of all, I’m not a singer by trade. I just do it for  _ my  _ entertainment, I-I’m not a professional nor do I want to be. Secondly, I need to keep being what I am because…”  _ What good am I without it?  _ He thought, but instead chose “...it’s my family’s legacy.”

“Ah, so you’re keeping the tradition going too?” He smiled big, eyes smiling just as grand. 

“Your family used to be axemen too?” Oikawa asked scooting just a bit closer. 

“Yep.” He replied, popping the ‘p’ more than necessary. “But they’re gone now and I’m still here, so I need to keep everything going.” 

Oikawa had never really had a deep conversation before, every interaction before this being swift and surface level. He wanted to dig deeper, to see if this stranger (friend? enemy?) understood what he felt. “You ever feel like it’s too much?”

“Of course I do, but I also am sorta thankful to have a purpose. I don’t know what I’d be without all of this.” He motioned his hand, casting the whole forest. 

Taking a deep breath, Oikawa made one last shove over and placed his head parallel to the other’s shoulder. “You ever feel lonely?”   
  
“I think everyone does, regardless if they have no one or everyone around them.” He didn’t make a move for Oikawa to move, so he stayed where he was.

“I…” He started, not really knowing where he wanted to go with the conversation.

“Yeah” was all Iwaizumi replied with, which made Oikawa’s heart feel a little less swollen. They didn’t need to delve into each rooted insecurity or issue, but just feel some reassurance was all it took. 

They sat like that, no more talking or eating. Just two people who got each other, despite the fact they didn’t know their true selves at all. And maybe, that was okay. 

###

After the sleeping arrangements and accommodations were set in place, did the host return his guest’s pipe. 

Usually, Oikawa woke to the sound of birds or carriages passing by, sometimes the occasional sunshower’s tears making him spring into consciousness. Today was different.    
  
Starters, he was laying in on the couch and had a brief moment of deja vu. Additionally, he found that he’d slept in longer than the other since there was no sign of him in the house. And that was when he heard lumber being chopped from outside, which made Oikawa breathe out a sign. 

Then he forgot to breathe in as he heard the faint sounds of growling and barking from outside. 

Grabbing his instrument, he dashed outside only to see Iwa holding his axe, backed up against the house’s wall. It didn’t look like he wanted to hurt them, but the pack of wolves certainly didn’t appear to hold that same sentiment.

Taking a shaky breath, he began to play and kept playing until he was so out of air his knee buckled. He was so concentrated on not messing up that he didn’t even realize the creatures were gone. 

Grassing swaying underneath him, Iwa ran over towards him and in another instance of deja vu, stretched out his hand, axe gone. Oikawa skipped the hand and went straight in for a tight hug, probably too tight, dropping his piper. “A-Are you okay?”   
  


“Yeah, I’m fine that’s to you.” He couldn’t see over his shoulder, but the brunette was sure the other was smiling. “Maybe I didn’t give you enough credit for your free concert.”

Chuckling so hard his chin slightly pressed into Iwaizumi’s shoulder, he playfully barked back. “Speaking of, I gave you _ three _ and I’ve gotten nothing in retu-”

Abruptly, everything froze. His words, train of thought, the forest. All the attention was on the axeman whose lips were now pressed into Oikawa, whose whole demeanor was now softening to the touch. Returning the kiss, smiling as it happened, Oikawa felt pure, unfiltered euphoria. That same joy continued well after the affectionate action unfortunately ceased. 

“That payment suffice?” He asked, grinning with some sense of wit. Oikawa profusely nodded to probably some annoyance. 

“A-Anyways, I’ve probably overstayed my welcome. I’ll get going-” He tried to leave, but Iwa grabbed the opportunity to seize his wrist.   
  


“Why don’t you stay?” It was a simple question with a simple response,  _ I didn’t know I was allowed to say. _

“For another night?” Oikawa spoke, voice soft and vulnerable.

“Yeah… but I was also thinking the next morning. And all the other nights, and each and every morning until you get sick of it here.” Now he was the one who seemed to put themselves in an unsecured spot.

Grinning far too much, Oikawa ran back into the house with Iwa close behind. “Let's see who can make the other sick first. Winner gets to keep the cottage!” Before slamming the door shut, letting both their instruments stay behind them, neither feeling like they needed them to identify. Sure they were still ‘the axeman’ and ‘the pied piper’, but it would be nice to find out who exactly ‘Oikawa’ and ‘Iwaizumi’ were for a change. 

**Author's Note:**

> next time, hinata and his crow continue the road towards his friend, who could it be :O
> 
> regardless, he stumbles into ennotana's tale! what's in store? ill give you a hint: crying ;)
> 
> ty for reading to the very end !! i hope you enjoyed <3


End file.
